A Plea for Shelter (Los Posadas)
by Zeragii
Summary: Donald couldn't help feeling down this Christmas. He missed his family, and that was something that robbed the holidays of all spirit for him. But just because we aren't home for the holidays, doesn't mean we're alone. And Donald has yet to learn that. (A Christmas Short for my ongoing Three Caballeros series.)


"Come on, Donald! How can you live in my country and not wish to enjoy its customs?"

Panchito could not understand his partner's resistance to participate in the holiday's festivities. He had always pictured Donald as one of those types to revel in the holiday spirit. To sing, and dance, and enjoy the time that was given to such celebration. But what he was witnessing now was far from what he had expected. Since the beginning of the week, the duck had become increasingly quiet. He hadn't been eating much, and had refused to go along with anything the rooster had planned. At first, it wasn't all that noticeable, as Donald would simply come up with excuses that were perfectly liable. But there was only so far excuses could go. Panchito was as patient as the next fellow, but he was completely at a loss with his partner's behavior, and today had just been the last straw.

"I just don't feel like going, alright?" was Donald's equally frustrated answer. He remained in his bunk at the inn they were staying at, mostly hidden by the shadows that matched his mood. It was a nice place, Mexican to the max, and filled with the festive decorations of the time of year. The American, despite his current feelings on the matter, loved Christmas, of that there was no mistake. But this wasn't America. This wasn't Christmas. This was Mexico, and the holiday was Los Posadas*, or whatever Panchito had called it. He remembered the rooster teaching him about it several years ago, back before they were a team for the USMB secret service. Donald respected his friend's traditions, but he was not in the mood for a holiday that did not reflect the traditions back home. And even if it had, he would not have wanted to join in. It reminded him of too many things.

But he couldn't bring himself to say that. Stubborn and prideful as ever, Donald refused to just tell his partner the truth. That he was feeling homesick. That all he wanted to do was spend Christmas with his family; with his nephews, his Uncle Scrooge, and Daisy. He really missed Daisy. That sounded terribly whiny, even in his own ears, but he couldn't help it. He had never been away from them during the holidays, and it was hitting him hard. Panchito didn't even have a family to go home to on the holidays, other than his mother, who they had already visited a few days before. Panchito was tough and always full of energy and life. He wouldn't understand. And José...Well, Donald wasn't sure he wanted to tell him either. As an agent, Donald believed that he had to be tough. He had to be firm, and unwavering. And right now, he felt anything but.

José, who had stood quiet and still in the corner, came forward slightly. His face held a look of concern, though he seemed hesitant to say anything at all. Donald was already upset, and time knowing his partner had taught the parrot to be very careful. The duck had a fiery temper, and José knew it wouldn't take much to set it off. "Are you sick, Donald?"

Donald sighed, folding his arms over his chest, even from his position lying down. "No. I just want to be left alone. You two go. I'll stay here."

Panchito stepped forward, prepared to argue, but a green, feathered hand landing gently on his shoulder stopped him. José shook his head slowly, motioning with his head that they should leave. Panchito forced down his incessant curiosity and frustration, and nodded. "Alright, me amigo. But if you feel lonely...you know where we'll be. Sí?"

Donald rolled over in his bunk, so that his pained expression was hidden, facing the wall. He fought back the emotion, somehow managing to hide it from his voice. "Yeah, yeah," he muttered carelessly. "Go on before you miss the kids." There was a long silence before he heard the door to their room open and close, and when he turned his head, he found the room empty, his friends having left as he had requested. At once, Donald dropped his mask of deception, his face becoming one of misery and heart ache. He sat up on the edge of his bunk, hands clutching each other in his lap, the very image of depression.

His soft, shuddering sigh was the only audible sound in the dark, silent room.

* * *

Panchito stormed out of the inn with all the passion that his friends had come to know so well. His spurs jingled angrily with each step, reflecting their wearer's mood as he stomped down the road a ways before turning to José, who had followed silently.

"I do not understand! What did I say? What have I done that Donald does not with to go with us?" He gestured around them, at the smiling people, the walls of the lovely little town decorated for the event. "I had to convince Colonel Hawkins to give us this small vacation, for the very reason of celebrating our first Los Posadas as partners! Do you know how hard that was?! Yo no entiendo*!" The rooster launched into a series of confused and frustrated Spanish, that did not diminish for several more blocks as they made their way toward the village church. By the time he had calmed down, José had listened and processed most of what his friend had said. As soon as Panchito was quiet, the parrot opened his beak to try and say his piece.

"Panchito, I think there is something wrong with Donald."

The anger immediately left the rooster's eyes, replaced by honest concern. He knew he wasn't the most observant individual out there, but surely he would have noticed if one of his two closest friends was ill. On the other hand, he might have missed it, with all the holiday excitement. That thought left him feeling terribly guilty. "You...You think so?"

The parrot nodded. "Listen, amigo. Donald is not from here. Unlike you, he has never spent the holidays away from his família. He has those three nephews of his, remember? Don't you think that...well, maybe he misses them?" José came to a sudden stop, mirroring Panchito's actions. The rooster looked stricken, eyes wide and beak open in total, stunned silence. It was almost a pained expression, one that made José sorry he had voiced his thoughts so bluntly. "...Panchito?"

"I didn't mean to!" the rooster gasped, turning his head back the way they had come. "I-I didn't even consider..." His voice trailed off as he turned back to José sadly. "How _estúpido*_ can I get? I should have known he would miss them..." His shoulders drooped, the very picture of misery. "All I wanted was to make this a holiday we could all enjoy." He sighed. "But I guess all I did was make things worse."

José stared at him a moment, before his face broke out in a fond smile. Somehow, he couldn't take this scene seriously. Panchito was just so quick paced. He never slowed down to think things through. Though he had arranged this vacation with all the best intentions, everything always seemed to be just a little out of his control. Panchito was very easily cheerful, but, when the wrong circumstances brought his spirits down, he could become as depressed as anyone else. And yet, it was almost humorous. Humorous in the sense that he could be so clueless sometimes.

Chuckling softly, José shook his head. "You are not estúpido. You are his friend. And sometimes us friends get a little carried away." He smiled good naturedly at Panchito's subtle nod, though it was obvious that, at least for now, the rooster was not convinced. "Besides," the parrot quipped. "I have an idea that might help."

Panchito's eyes lit up at once. José was a very smart bird. Perhaps one of the smartest the rooster had ever met. After leaving Brazil and coming to work for the USMB Secret Service, it had become very clear, very fast, that José used his wit rather than his fists, and his cunning rather than skill. It was the parrot's defining characteristic, and one that his partners trusted explicitly. They could not name all the times José's quick thinking had saved them from danger, and they hadn't even been a team for all that long. He was the brains. He was the brains, Panchito was the skill, and Donald...Donald was the heart. The passion behind the work they did. But right now, that heart was aching, and it dragged José and Panchito's hearts down with it.

"What can we do?" the rooster intoned enthusiastically. "It is the first night of Los Posadas, and he refuses to join us. And it is not like we can send him home to see his nephews, nor can we bring them here."

José smiled. He started off down the street again, calling over his shoulder. "Maybe not, but I think Donald just wants to feel like he's in a family. Like they do in the American Christmas. If that's what he wants, that's what we'll get him. Pressa*! Hurry, Panchito! There is much to do!" With that, the two birds rounded the corner and disappeared from sight, both excited to put their plan to action.

* * *

Donald had drifted off into an uneasy sleep. It was the only thing he had to do at the moment, and even that was filled with misery. He dreamed of his family, and Christmases gone past. It filled him with a distinct homesickness. He wasn't even sure what he wanted. Half of him wanted to pinch himself, and head off after his friends, believing that he should make the most of the holiday, wherever he was. But the other half of him, saddened and depressed, kept him anchored to his bunk. He stared up at the ceiling, picturing what his family must be doing back in Duckburg. With a sigh he closed his eyes again, hoping for more sleep, restless though it may be.

"Donald!"

The shout caught him off guard, and it was filled with such urgency that it prompted him to jump to his feet, just as José came tearing into the room.

"Donald! We need you down at the church!" The parrot was out of breath, and seemed very upset. Eyes wide, he concentrated on getting air into his lungs as he hurriedly explained. "Something happened! Panchito stayed behind, but we need you there as well!"

Without hesitating a moment, Donald grabbed his hat and placed it on his head, nodding for José to lead the way. They took of like a shot, running out of the inn and racing down the streets. It was a good five minute walk to the village church, but they managed it in three. As they approached the steps leading to the double doors of the cathedral, José dropped back a little, allowing Donald to take the lead, which the duck failed to notice. Taking the steps two at a time, Donald threw himself against the doors, pushing them open with all his strength as he burst inside of the building...

And froze.

The sight was breathtaking. The decorations, the food, the lights. And each item clearly being Christmas, not Los Posadas. Snowflakes, cut from fine paper, hung from every available place, swirling round on their strings. Candles, with colored jars placed over the wicks in such a manner that the flame would not go out, shone with vibrant colors of green, red, and, every now and then, a bit of blue. A table to the left was decked with foods of all kinds, much of which was Mexican, but all done with colors of red and green. But perhaps the most intricate and noticeable sight was the large cactus in the center of the church's foyer. Potted, it was strung with bits of colored ribbon, trinkets, and more paper snowflakes. Holes had been cut into its prickled sides, allowing places for candles to be placed inside, making the whole thing glitter like some odd, alien Christmas tree.

And all around this display, smiling brightly, were tons of people. People he didn't even now. Children, men, women, all of them waiting for his reaction; staring at him expectantly. If he hadn't been so shocked, he might have been embarrassed. José had come to stand behind him, and Panchito strode up to his left. Everything was silent for a moment, as Donald struggled for the words to say.

"What...What is all this?"

Panchito gave a nervous shrug, doing his best to explain. "When we saw how sad you were, we figured it was because you miss your family in America. It must be very hard to be away from them, in a place that celebrates the holiday season differently. So we - It was José's idea really - gathered as many people as we could. All of these villagers," he waved his hand around the room, "felt that, after all you've done for them and their country, you deserved a true Christmas." He send a glance over toward the decorated cactus. "Heh. Or at least as close to it as we could get."

Donald was speechless. "But what about Los Posadas? All of these people are-"

"Are still going to celebrate," José finished. "But not before you have had Christmas." He paused, trying to read his partner's expression. It was hard to tell what Donald thought, as the duck's eyes swept slowly over the scene, continuing to take it all in. "That is...if you want to...I mean, you don't h-"

He was cut off as Donald suddenly whipped around and caught the parrot in a fierce hug. It was so sudden, it actually startled José, and he stiffened. Before a smile spread across his face and his eyes met those of Panchito. Donald gripped José, giving a sniffle.

"Thank you...Thank you..." seemed to be all the duck could get out at the moment, and it proved that his partners had done the right thing. Donald had needed this.

Panchito carefully made his way over, looking slightly uncomfortable. "Uh...Donald? I'm...I'm sorry for not understanding sooner. I should have known you would miss your family. I know this isn't anything like Christmas in America, and I know we're not family, but...do you think this could be close enough to fill you with...what is it called? The Christmas Spirit?"

Donald laughed, letting go of José and giving the rooster a hug that was just as firm and tight. "Yes! Yes, this is perfect!" He turned to all of the other people in the room, who were all beaming widely. Donald cleared his throat, and gathered his limited knowledge of Spanish.

"Gracias. Muchas gracias a todos."*

The villagers smiled even harder, the children moving forward to take his hands and pull him further into the room. Music played, and people danced. Donald taught them some American Christmas songs, and traditions. All in all, it was one of the best Christmases Donald had ever had, away from his family. It made him realize that, just because he wasn't home, didn't mean he was alone. He had his partners, and they were truly almost like family. They _were_ family. They would always be there for him. They watched his back on missions, they helped him when the going got tough. They cared for him. If that wasn't family, Donald didn't know what was. They had gone through all this trouble, all this planning, and at the last minute too, to help him. It touched Donald deeply, and pulled him out of the depressive state he had been stuck in, freeing him.

And for that, Donald was truly thankful.

* * *

 ***Los Posadas - A nine day celebration in Mexico, where people (with tow dressed as Mary and Joseph) go from house to house, representing Mary and Joseph's search for a place to stay. On the last day, a designated place is chosen to welcome the 'travelers', and the celebration is given.**

 ***Yo no entiendo - "I do not understand" in Spanish.**

 ***estúpido - "stupid' in Spanish.**

 ***Pressa! - "Hurry!'' in Portuguese.**

 ***** **Gracias. Muchas gracias a todos - "Thank you. Thank you all so much"in Spanish.**

 **This was a request from my dear friend, AnimasterNorris, who wanted a sort of Three Caballeros Christmas Special. I liked the idea, and did a little research, watched a few clips, and came up with this. I know it's after Christmas, but here it is. Enjoy! And Merry Christmas everyone! And a Happy New Year!**


End file.
